Against the Frozen Tides
by Jaslyn
Summary: "You promised me - no secrets between Sisters," - "Believe me, some things are better left unsaid." Upon a trail of broken promises and crushed dreams, Elsa's love for Anna takes her into the unknown. Post-Frozen 2 AU where Elsa never abdicates. Elsanna. Elsamaren
1. Chapter 1

_"I can't see you anymore." _

Elsa's words fly past Honeymaren's ears. She blinks once, and frowns. Perched on a bridge between the Enchanted woods and Arendelle, Elsa pauses as a breeze sends leaves fluttering between them. She knows it's not Gale - Gale wouldn't stick around to listen to this part.

"It's...it's nothing personal," Elsa explains, "It's just…"

"-Political, right?" Honeymaren interjects, folding her arms, "I mean, would I really have thought this was going to turn out any other way? You're the Queen of Arendelle, the Fifth Spirit, and pretty much a Goddess around here. What would you want with a peasant like me-"

"No, no, it's not like that either," Elsa says, raising her hands. "You're amazing, and I've cherished every single one of the moments we've had together. It's just that I can't be seen traveling to the North too often and-"

Honeymaren's lips begin to tremble. She struggles to piece together her next words.

"W-why," she stammers, before tilting her head at the carriage pulling up at the end of the bridge, "Why on earth are you going back to Arendelle in a carriage?"

"I am a Queen," Elsa sighs, "sometimes I have to make appearances and pretenses, like traveling in a godforsaken carriage to appear more human."

_This was just a political visit. _

The sight of Elsa, in her regalia instead of icy clothes, and prim posture, proves too much for Honeymaren. She turns away so Elsa can't see the tears brimming in her eyes.

"That's fine then," Honeymaren says, choking back a sob, "the Northuldra look forward to welcoming their Majesty whenever it's convenient enough for her to visit again."

"No, please, listen to me-" Elsa pleads, but the other woman had already run off the foot of the bridge, back to the village and away from whatever hurt the Queen could hurl at her.

Elsa sighs, and shakes her head. Her fists bunch up around her gown as she imagines hearing a sob in the woods, followed by a wail, but she tells herself it's just the wind. Elsa grits her teeth as she foresees a long road back home with too much time to reflect on the million disappointments and hurts she's caused people. The sight of Mattias calms her somewhat. He bows deeply, and holds the carriage door open.

"I pray this is the last time they make me travel in one of these," Elsa says.

"Your majesty, I pray this is the last time we travel this far North," he replies, suppressing a chuckle, "my family fears I will be gone another thirty years."

His words do nothing for her. Seated in the plush cabin, Elsa's stares at the countryside rolling past as she ponders how she _always _had something to do with the misery of other people, whether directly or indirectly. The thought puts her head into a spin. She drums her fingers on the cushions as she contemplates writing Honeymaren a letter, to explain everything. That'd set everything right. Wouldn't it?

_Right, none of the Northuldra could read or write. Like that'd help. _

_You should've built a school for them_

_What a great queen you are. _

Elsa buries her head into the curtains as she realises it was going to be inevitable anyway. Honeymaren was free-spirited, young at heart and so in-touch with nature and herself. She was the perfect distraction.

_From what, exactly? _

A groan emanates from Elsa's chest as she reminisces about how selfish she was. Their secret moments by the lake and stolen kisses. All this was a goddamned lie.

_Obviously she knew you were using her and obviously you knew she knew. _So what makes it so crushing? Is it because of how much she reminds you of someone?

Every square inch of the cabin had been turned into a miniature ski resort, and there's no end in sight to the guilt bearing down on Elsa's head. She blames it on her crown, and contemplates hurling it out of the window. _Your parents died to give you that. _Her eyes flutter shut as she hears their screams once again.

"Stop," Elsa whispers, as though it'd rid the voices in her head.

Her hands begin to shake as she fiddles with the pleats of her gown. The trembling stops when she closes her fingers around a hard object. A locket. She must've left it there. Y'know - because _Honeymaren doesn't like seeing that thing around your neck. _And she knows why.

The latch springs open in her hand, revealing a miniature painting of Anna in one of her summer dresses. Despite the painting's size, the artist had captured Anna's freckles in amazing detail.

God knows how many times she's seen it, but it still steals Elsa's breath away. How long has she been away from Anna? A week? It was too goddamned long.

_It was also too short. _

In a few hours she'd be home. She'd be able to feel the weight of her sister pressed up against her bosom, and the steady thump of her heartbeat. Her scent. The glow in her eyes. Along with it, every heady feeling of affection, confusion, fear, and desire - all wrapped up into one red-headed freckled woman. She _needed _to get away from that. Forcing a smile, Elsa tears her gaze from the locket, and stuffs it back in her pocket.

The sun had begun to set, and the dim light bathes the forest with an unearthly glow. Resting her head against the window, Elsa imagines seeing Nokk streaking through the trees. She wonders whether the spirits know her thoughts, whether they'd be disgusted, or if the petty desires and hatreds of humans were beneath them all.

A glint in the woods catches Elsa's eye, and she perks up in her seat, thinking it's Bruni. It fails to reappear. Elsa's breath fogs up the window panes as she catches sight of a shadowy figure perched in the trees; too large to be a bird. A trail of fire streaks past the road, heading towards her carriage.

"Bruni, what the hell are you doing?" Elsa murmurs, only to receive silence in reply.

_This isn't Bruni. _

Elsa sucks in a gasp as she spots the mound buried by the side of the road. A moment too late.

Fire engulfs the Queen and everything disintegrates in a crescendo of glass, wood and ice.


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa awakens on a bed of cracked ice. Apart from a splitting headache and the horrific ringing in her ears, everything else on Elsa's body appears to be intact.

"Christ," Elsa mutters, turning over on the frozen road and wincing at the pain rippling through her limbs. Her eyes widen at the sight of her royal carriage, now a blazing wreck on the side of the road. The fire casts an eerie glow on the dismembered horses and dead palace guards littering the trail.

"Mattias!" Elsa calls out, before recoiling at the smell in the air. Is that _gunpowder? _The realisation sends her staggering to her feet.

A groan answers her call. Elsa grits her teeth when his broken body comes into view, and he cries out when she tries to move him.

"Don't bother," Mattias grimaces, waving off Elsa's attempts to shower his wounds with ice, "Your Majesty, y-your arm is burnt."

The sight of blood and charred skin on Elsa's right arm sends a renewed burst of agony into her being. She clutches her arm, and sheets of icy fabric swirl and materialise on her body. With a mere thought, Nokk emerges from a stream and flows next to her.

"I'll get help," Elsa promises, as Nokk carries her off towards the south.

"No, no," Mattias pleads, his voice too feeble to be heard by the Queen, now charging away from him, "the bugger is still in the trees, go after him!"

* * *

It's midnight by the time Nokk and the snowbirds bring back Elsa and the broken remains of Mattias and the palace guards. Lanterns dot the palace courtyard as servants haul them off to be treated. It's a mess. The groans of the wounded are interspersed with doctors shouting orders. Amidst them all rides Queen Elsa. Nokk carries her to the palace gates, just in time for Anna to descend the steps. Fear grips Elsa. _Are you afraid of letting her see you like this? _At once, Elsa turns away from her sister, but it's useless. The girl would be drawn to Elsa even at the ends of the earth, let alone right there in front of her.

"W-what happened?" Anna gasps, covering her mouth.

"I don't know," Elsa replies, her teeth chattering. _Strange, I thought the cold never bothered you? _"One minute I was in the carriage and then everything exploded."

"What! How on earth-" Anna says, before catching sight of Elsa's wounds, visible through the translucent icy fabric, "your arm-"

"No, no, it's nothing, my powers stopped it-"

Anna reaches out to her sister.

"But-"

"No!" the Queen scowls, clutching her wounded arm to herself. A look of hurt flashes through Anna's eyes. "J-just give me some space, right now, ok?"

The horror in Anna's voice is evident, "How could you say that, you're hurt, I need to look after you-"

A wave of confusion sweeps through Elsa, boiling over into icy words.

"This was all my damn fault!" Elsa says, unsure of exactly _why _it is. She points at the wounded guards being treated in the square, "Please, Anna - if you want to help, help them!"

She tries to stay. Tries to give Anna a reassuring look, or a nod of approval. _Anything. _She fails. Elsa turns on her heels and flees into the Palace, clutching her wounded arm and wishing she was removed from this whole ordeal.

* * *

It had taken Elsa all the energy in the world to allow Gerda into her chambers; to grit her teeth and let the woman soak her wounds in alcohol and bandage them. For some reason - it takes her no effort to confess her emotions to Gerda.

"I-I feel so weak," Elsa laments, as the sting of alcohol on her raw wounds sets her nerves alight.

Unaccustomed to being spoken to directly like this, Gerda bows her head.

"You're the strongest of us all," she reassures, "which is why the Kingdom will gladly follow you, even to its death."

Her lips tremble as Gerda takes her leave. Staring at the dawn breaking over the north mountain, Elsa bites down on her lip and tries her utter _best _not to cry. The feeling of uselessness wells up within her.

"Don't, don't," Elsa whispers to herself, a pathetic attempt at stopping a tear rolling down her cheek, "you must be strong."

The footsteps come, and already Elsa knows it'd take exactly twelve seconds for Anna to reach her room. The Queen fumbles with her sleeve as she tries to wipe the tears from her eyes.

_Eight seconds this time, it must be urgent. _

And the girl doesn't even bother to knock.

Elsa grits her teeth, looking away from her Sister approaching and curling up next to her in bed. The scent of Anna's hair sends a ripple of desire pulsating through her chest. _Why would she even do this, after what I said last night?_

_Right, she's perfect, remember? Forgiving and adorable and caring, and everything you're not. _

"Gerda said you needed looking after," Anna whispers, tugging at her sister's uninjured arm, "I'm here for you."

And that was it. No questions, no impassioned pleas to help, not even a curious glance. Just this...closeness; warm and impossibly soothing. Elsa's eyes flutter shut. For a brief moment, she forgets everything which happened, and smiles. Elsa's fingers curl as the girl shifts her weight. Anna's presence captivates her, and with each passing moment, she feels more of her strength returning.

"Thank you," Elsa whispers.

The girl in her arms turns, and Elsa's holds her breath as she catches sight of her sister's eyes. _This is all I ever needed. _The faintest thought of losing Anna to whatever shadowy figure attacked her strays into her mind, and her hands go cold.

Sensing her apprehension, Anna sits upright.

"I need to fix this," Elsa says, "whoever did this is going to come back."

"Do what you must," Anna replies, biting her lip and taking Elsa's hands in hers', "I'm with you every step of the way. Like before, like always."

Elsa's lips part at the sheer dedication her sister shows, despite shoving her away so hard just hours earlier. She tries to shake the guilt from herself, and fails.

"Is Mattias alright?"

"Still wounded, but he's insisting on hobbling everywhere and ordering people around."

"Well, we should go look for him, shouldn't we?"

Her pain forgotten, Elsa allows her sister to take her by the hand and lead her to the courtyard, where Mattias is supervising the care of his wounded comrades, despite being hurt himself.

"Why are you still running about-" Elsa asks.

"No, no, I'm fine," Mattias says, waving off the Queen's concern.

"Alright then," Elsa says, folding her arms, "we still need to talk about what happened. I need to know who did it."

"Already working on that!" Mattias quips, before rubbing his forehead, "but there's a small problem-"

Elsa and Anna crane their heads in response.

"Obviously the first suspect would be the Councillor who advised you to ride in a carriage, Frederik or whatever his name was," Mattias explains, shaking his head, "he poisoned himself this morning, minutes after hearing what happened."

"What!?" Elsa and Anna shriek in unison.

"Well, there's that-" Elsa sighs, "Did anyone-"

"Yes, I've someone looking through his correspondences now," Mattias says, "he sent his family away to Prussia a week ago, so this was likely mediated beforehand."

"Please, please," Anna pleads with Mattias, "we have to solve this mystery, Elsa's life is in danger!"

Elsa turns, and looks towards the sunrise. In her heart, she _wishes _there's someone around to tell her what to do, to lead her in such matters. Like before, there's no one but herself. She shuts her eyes and listens to the wind, hoping to hear the same voice calling out to her, but there's nothing either. Her heart goes still when she turns and sees Anna staring back at her. _What would you do? _Elsa thinks, _if this happened to her instead of you?_

The question forces an answer from her.

"Anna, stay with Mattias and help him out," Elsa orders, right as the girl begins to protest, "I'm heading back to the place where it happened."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Contains a line from "I can't lose you" – a song from the stage musical adaptation of Frozen, which is the most amazing song Anna and Elsa could've sung to each other at the F1 Ice castle scene. Disney probably cut it out because it was too romantic/dramatic.**

* * *

"No, no, _no_!" Anna screams, her voice echoing through the courtyard, "h-how could you- I mean, did you not learn your lesson? The last time you did something like this, you died. I mean, you _literally_ died. Is that not enough to deter you from-"

"We've gone over this before, Anna," Elsa says, desperate to keep the girl from stopping her, "I have to fix this. Things are better when you're safe and-"

"No, things are _not _better!" Anna yells back, her voice cracking beneath the strain, "Please Elsa, I can't-"

The sight of Anna, with her hands clasped in front of her, crushes Elsa. It also steels her resolve.

"I'm going. Stay here," Elsa orders, before turning and stomping off. A hand closes around her uninjured arm and drags her back. The force of Anna's grasp throws Elsa off balance, and the tiles crackle with frost. Elsa looks down at her sister's trembling snow-white knuckles, surprised at the immense strength she just displayed.

"We're not done!" Anna scowls.

Elsa shakes her head.

"Yes, we are."

For some reason, Nokk deserts her thoughts. Instead, an icy steed springs from the frost and carries Elsa off, knocking her sister to the ground. Anna leaps to her feet and unhitches the nearest horse, which happens to be hauling a wagon loaded with barrels of water. Freed from its burden, the beast leaps forward in a gallop. In less than ten seconds, Anna closes the gap with her sister outside the castle. Unaccustomed to riding at such speed, Anna inadvertently crashes straight through Elsa's horse, sending both riders tumbling through the grass in a tumult of ice and mud.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Elsa yells.

Anna stares at her sister, with bits of grass and snow staining her otherwise perfect face. The rage in Elsa's eyes makes Anna's chest clench, and the words spill from her lips.

"I can't lose you, not again," Anna says, staring right into Elsa's eyes, "I can't lose you like then. If you could see yourself the way I do. Then you see why I can't lose you."

A drizzle of rain picks up around the two.

"You still don't get it," Elsa says, shaking her head, "I have a duty to you, to the Kingdom, to keep you safe. What would happen if we're both dead and there's no one to carry on-"

"Is this all I am to you?" Anna snarls, her hair turning damp in the rain, "Just some heir, someone to stick around after you're gone?"

"Of course not!" Elsa shrieks, as snow picks up around her, "Why'd you think I'd run away to the North Mountain, to Ahtohallan? Everything I've ever done was to keep you safe, to protect you-"

"I don't need your _goddamned _protection!" Anna yells, sending Elsa staggering from the sheer ferocity of her voice, "I just need...I need-"

The snow settles around their feet. Elsa stares at her sister, chest heaving with emotion.

"_I need you." _

Elsa usually looks away during moments like this. Perhaps it's fear, or the refusal to acknowledge that Anna's pleas of love are nothing more than sisterly affection. This time, she looks straight at Anna, soaking wet in the rain, and tries to decipher her emotions. Her heart speaks first.

"I need you too."

_Even if I can't have you. _

_Even if we aren't meant to be anything else but sisters. _

_Even if my fate is to watch you be happy with someone else while I die heirless and alone. _

"I need you, because you're everything to me."

Anna lets out a sob, before allowing herself to be consumed by the comfort of Elsa's embrace. The Queen inhales deeply, savouring the scent of earth in her sister's hair.

"I love you," Anna whispers against her sister's collarbone, "I love you so much it hurts sometimes."

Elsa shuts her eyes. For a second, the sheer hunger in her sister's arms causes her to hope.

"Promise me we'll do this together?" Anna asks. Elsa looks down into her sister's eyes, brimming with sincerity. The fear within her from earlier evaporates. At once, Nokk arises from the sea, and with him - a snow horse.

"Like before?" Elsa asks, extending a hand to her sister.

Anna reaches into the warmth of her sister's grasp. The trembling in her fingers fades into stillness.

"_Like always_."

* * *

_Sunlight filters through the cathedral's windows, casting an unnatural gleam on the faded mosaic tiled floors. Save for the murmured prayers of the few bishops gathered in a circle, there's silence. None of them flinch when a messenger sprints down the aisle and whispers into one of their ears. With a flick of his wrist, the Cardinal motions for the curtains to be drawn, plunging the entire chapel into a darkness punctuated by candlelight from the altar. _

_A man enters, bearing the trappings of a priest, but also wearing leather armour and a sword. He kneels before the bishops. _

_"__You kneel before us like a mother with a sick child," the Cardinal speaks, his voice echoing around the stone hall, "I assume that means you failed." _

_"__With respect, your Eminence," he replies, trying to conceal the shaking in his voice, "this was but a test. We know not how much strength the Sorceress has gained after finding the source." _

_"__We shouldn't have sent that boy," the Cardinal sighs, before another Bishop whispers in his ear, "now it appears it's too late." _

_The Cardinal rises, and ascends the altar. With both hands, he retrieves an urn, and passes it to the priest. It's full of sand, but he reaches within and lifts out a clear glass vial, as thick as his wrist and filled with a shimmering, golden liquid. _

_"__Be careful!" the Cardinal warns, "it's Holy Fire. The Armenians got it for us, from Jerusalem." _

_He clenches his fists. _

_"__We'll see whether that lizard is capable of saving her." _


	4. Chapter 4

Despite stopping for more than one meal at Anna's urging, the long hours on Nokk robs Elsa of all strength. The apprehension of coming to terms with what happened fills her with anxiety, and her sister knows it.

"Are you alright?" Anna asks, observing Elsa slouched over on Nokk, "it's not nearly as far as the enchanted woods, probably more like halfway."

"No, I'm...I'm alright," Elsa slurs back, wiping at the perspiration on her skin. _When was the last time you sweated? _

Anna slows her ice horse next to Elsa, and drops her voice to a whisper.

"You can tell me."

Elsa looks at her sister, eyes brimming with concern. She's hidden so many things from Anna, but perhaps it's time to stop.

"Maybe I'm afraid," Elsa says, shaking her head, "I don't even know what for. Afraid of what I'd find, afraid of losing you."

"You don't have to-" Anna says, before the wreck on the road steals her attention, "oh my god, is this it?"

Nokk lowers Elsa to the ground, and she stares at the crater with her mouth ajar.

"H-how on earth did you even survive this?" Anna gasps, shielding her eyes from the smoke still wafting through the air.

"The ice, perhaps," Elsa says, and at that thought, the ground beneath her turns solid with frost, "maybe it can help us one more time."

She kneels and presses her palm to the earth. At once, frost skirts through the road, revealing the frozen visage of her carriage as it were just a day prior - rolling along the road and oblivious to the danger waiting for it. Anna approaches the carriage and finds the frozen statue of Elsa within, gazing upon the locket.

"That's one of ours-" Anna observes, turning to Elsa, her cheeks slightly reddened.

"I never forget you, especially when I'm away," Elsa replies, "come now, this isn't what we're looking for."

The frost spreads as Elsa moves further up the trail, uncovering the gunpowder buried by the side of the road, waiting to unleash its devastation on her. Her eyes follow the unlit fuse laid across the trail and up a nearby tree.

"That's where I last saw him," Elsa says. With a breath of ice, the pine tree turns white with frost, revealing a hidden assailant crouching amidst the leaves, ready to end her life. Elsa covers her mouth, the horror evident on her face.

"Why would-" Anna gasps, "why would anyone want to do this?"

The snowy figure reveals nothing: plain hooded cloak, lifeless features, no insignia or identifying weapons. He could've been anyone - a mercenary or political terrorist or religious zealot.

"None of this makes sense," Elsa whispers. The thought of this assassin still being out there and waiting to murder her at the next opportunity turns her blood cold. With a wave of her hand, the entire forest around her turns white with snow. She grits her teeth, and the branches begin to crackle and snap with frost. Birds flutter into the air, and animals scamper from their holes at the sudden onslaught of winter.

"Stop," Anna says, before yanking her sister to face her, "Stop!"

The sight of her sister's cerulean eyes injects a calmness into Elsa's spirit, and the frost around them evaporates.

"It's ok if you can't fix this today," Anna reassures her, "but if you ruin the forest, it'll be gone forever. That won't make us any better than Grandpa-"

"Y-you're right, sometimes I forget how much power is inside me," Elsa replies, "and it's scary."

"Come, let's take a walk, shall we?" Anna chirps, "you look like you need a breath of fresh air."

The trembling in Elsa's chest is still there when Anna takes her hand and walks her away from the wreck in silence. The sun begins to set as they approach a nearby town. Elsa looks upon the inhabitants returning home after a day of toiling in the fields, and wonders if she's ever paid as much heed to them as Northuldra.

"We can stay here for the night," Anna whispers, gauging her sister's thoughts, "you don't have to go back right now if you don't want to."

"Sometimes I wonder what it's like," Elsa says, as men begin lighting kerosene street lamps for the night, "to be hidden away in the countryside, without a care in the world."

"It feels great, for a moment, at least," Anna says, "but there's always this annoying feeling that this isn't what we were meant for."

No one recognises them as they wander the streets in search of a place to stay. When they do, the innkeeper treats them with the same level of disregard as any other pair of travellers looking for a room, even with the royal portrait of Queen Elsa hanging on the wall. The room she prepared for them is nothing more than a hole in the wall, and the lone single bed a far cry from their palace. Apart from a hearth, there's barely anything else in the damp room.

"I hope this is enough for you," Anna says, starting a fire.

Elsa sits on the bed, its rough fabric prickling her skin. The prospect of sleeping this close to her sister, fills her with a sense of frustration, confusion, and desire. Perhaps it's the bare, unrefined setting they're in, which evokes such honesty, and causes Elsa to drop all pretenses.

"You are enough for me."

At her words, Anna turns around, and gets on the bed. Its small size forces her to clamber on top of her sister awkwardly. Elsa sucks in a gasp. Her hands travel automatically to Anna's hips, and her pulse starts to race. For a moment, the sisters stare at each other in the dim glow of the hearth, neither of them wanting this closeness to end.

"Y'know," Anna says, brushing a lock of hair from Elsa's face, "I've always wondered-"

Biting her lip, Elsa tries to think of a coherent reply, but with Anna's breath on her face, it's impossible.

"I've always wondered what it's like if we weren't sisters," Anna whispers, her voice barely rising over the crackling coals.

Elsa tightens her grasp around Anna's waist. For a moment, Elsa forgets she's stopped breathing, and searches her sister's eyes for any trace of deception. Like always, there's nothing but sincerity. Anna was always an open book, speaking her mind and concealing nothing but her most honest feelings. Without waiting for an answer, Anna slides a hand around Elsa's lower back and pulls their hips flush with one another. The movement sends a rush of heat into Elsa's loins, and she goes numb with pleasure.

"I'd….I'd probably find you irresistible," Elsa stammers, trying not to show the shaking in her voice. In an effort to stop her sister from leaning closer, Elsa runs a trembling hand up Anna's chest. A wave of heat follows her touch, and with it, the heavy thump of Anna's pulse on her fingertips.

"Your heart is racing," Elsa whispers, her mind going dizzy at the thought that her sister _wanted this. _

A hand snakes along Elsa's arm, and Anna smiles as she grips her sister's wrist.

"So is yours," Anna smirks.

Despite Anna's flirtations, the confusion which plagues Elsa from earlier refuses to lift. She looks into her sister's eyes, filled with innocence and the joy of life.

_You'd completely, utterly, ruin her. _

Anna eyes dip down, and Elsa's attention is drawn to just how hard her own chest is heaving.

"Do you want me?" Anna asks. Her tone is apprehensive, and for the first time, Elsa detects a hint of confusion in the girl's eyes. She'd always known Anna to be someone so sure of herself, even when she was about to make the worst decisions. _You'd be her worst decision, ever. _Her fists bunch up around the pleats of Anna's dress. A low growl emanates from the pit of Anna's throat, but it only adds to the ambivalence within the Queen.

"I...I don't know," Elsa replies, looking away from Anna, "I didn't know a year ago, and I still don't know now. I'm sorry."

"You promised me - no secrets between Sisters," Anna prods.

"Believe me, some things are better left unsaid," Elsa sighs, brushing her knuckles against Anna's face, "there's a lot of dark stuff within me that I'm afraid of letting out."

"It's alright," Anna whispers, placing a peck on Elsa's cheek and curling up next to her, "we still have this."

"This is more than I could've ever asked for, already," Elsa whispers, "and nothing could ever take this away from us."

Lost in her sister's heady fragrance, Elsa brushes her fingers along Anna's hair until the girl begins to snore. She stares at the moonlight filtering through the dirty glass, and feels absolutely safe with her sister. The feeling, together with the toll of being awake the whole day, sends her eyelids fluttering shut. Elsa falls into such a deep sleep that she doesn't notice the sweet scent of her sister's hair turning into the stench of almonds. In their peaceful slumber, neither realise the window had already been broken in, but the clatter of hooves rouses Anna.

The roar of fire jolts her awake, too late to stop tongues of fire leaping up the walls. Still, no response from Elsa - her consciousness weighed down like lead.

"Fuck!" Anna exclaims, "Elsa, the inn is on fire!"

Flames spread across the ground and roof, as if fed by an unseen fuel. She leaps across the room and tries the door, gasping when she finds it locked from the outside.

"Wake up!" Anna screams, jerking her sister by the shoulders, only to have her head slump off the pillow. In the back of Elsa's mind, she imagines hearing a scream, and her eyes stir open in time to see a flaming wooden beam collapsing on her sister's head.


	5. Chapter 5

Try as she might, no ice comes to Elsa's hands when she summons it - but even more surprising is the sight of Anna standing over her, bearing the weight of a wooden beam upon her arms. _That thing must've weighed a few hundred pounds. _But to Anna, the immensity of it feels like _nothing _compared to the fear of losing Elsa.

"What-" Elsa gasps, as she tries and fails again and freezing the flames around her, "get away from that!"

She sucks in a deep breath, inhaling more of the sedative-laced smoke. Its noxious fumes drag her further down into the depths of unconsciousness.

"No!" Anna screams. She doesn't even comprehend the weight on her shoulders when she hurls the beam through the window. The crunch of wood and shattering glass gives way to an opening. At once, Anna grabs Elsa, flinging the Queen over her shoulder and leaping clear of the flames. As she stumbles on the wet grass outside, Anna turns and recoils at the fiery horror before her eyes. A vortex of fire engulfs the inn, fanned by an invisible wind. At its centre, a pillar of light extends to the heavens, as if the inn's destruction was ordained by an omnipotent deity. The entire scene resembles a biblical event. A crowd of villagers surrounds the inferno; dumbstruck by its ferocity, no one dares to stop it from burning down.

"Please, please," Anna whispers to the sky, as she lays Elsa into the ground, "I don't know you, or if you can hear me, but we need you now."

At her urging, Nokk rises from the river and charges towards the flames; his neighing echoing through the night sky. He collides with the fire in a crescendo of steam and smoke. In its holy-fuelled rage, the flames attempt to fight back the water spirit's assault, but dies out, leaving behind a smouldering ruin. Without breaking a step, Nokk picks up Elsa and Anna, carrying them off to the North.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Anna shrieks, clinging onto her sister's body, flung over Nokk's back, "where are we going?"

Without a word, Nokk streaks through the woods. The wind billows through Anna's hair as Nokk picks up more and more speed, until he reaches an immense field. The dew-soaked expanse shimmers beneath the rising sun, and Anna instantly recognises the wall of pine trees standing before her.

_Northuldra. _

It takes Nokk less than a minute to reach the bridge and cross into the settlement. By then, the Northuldra had already begun heading off into the farms for the day, and the sight of Nokk with a wounded Queen and Princess upon him sends the villagers into an uproar.

* * *

The pounding in Elsa's head is still there when she regains consciousness. She blinks once, staring at the blurry figure before her, and the breath catches in her throat when she recognises Honeymaren, stirring a pot of stew. There's sunlight filtering through the tent's roof, and the smell of carrots from stew is enticing, but apart from that, Elsa's brain is still foggy.

"Stay there," Honeymaren orders, sticking out a wooden spoon as Elsa tries to rise from the bed of animal skins, "you don't want to move around too much."

"What-" Elsa groans, rubbing her forehead, "how did I end up here?"

"Anna carried you here on Nokk," Honeymaren replies, not lifting her eyes from the stew, "she said something about being attacked while you slept."

The memory strikes Elsa like a bolt of lightning. Immediately, she summons frost into her hands and sighs in relief when snowflakes blossom from her fingers.

"Woah woah, take it easy," Honeymaren says, recoiling when streaks of frost dance around the tent, "I don't know what I did to piss you off but-"

"No, no," Elsa says, shaking her head, "I mean, is Anna ok?"

"Yelena is looking after her, she burnt her hands getting you out of the fire, but it's nothing the earth cannot heal."

Elsa sits up, and rubs her forehead as the burden of hurting her sister weighs down on her. She's _always _putting Anna in harm's way. _Perhaps it was a better idea to live here. _Needing a distraction, Elsa looks down at her arm, and her lips part when she pulls back her sleeve and notices her previously seared arm from the day before had been restored to its original condition.

"It's a healing salve made from moss," Honeymaren chirps, noticing the Queen's amazement, "we used it in the past when Bruni wasn't amenable to us."

"I'm so sorry for imposing, I...We didn't ask for any of this," Elsa sighs, "Please, I'll have to get back to the Kingdom."

"Northuldra is your Kingdom too," Honeymaren interjects, bringing over a bowl of stew, "and whoever threatens your life, has threatened us in the past. This is something that won't go away unless something is done."

"Wait, what?" Elsa asks, before a bowl of stew is thrust into her hands.

"Anna couldn't stop telling us about what's been going on," Honeymaren says, "please eat, or you'll catch a cold."

She doesn't even realise just how much her chest is trembling, until the first spoonfuls of warm Reindeer and Carrot stew disappear down her throat. The stew sends a calming warmth into her body, and she finds herself gobbling a second spoonful.

Honeymaren continues, "We've seen them before, the ships from beyond the mist who sought to destroy the Enchanted forest. The mist protected us throughout the years, as isolated as we may be, but this isn't an option the Northuldra can enjoy any longer."

"H-how do you know this?" Elsa gasps.

"Anna told us she saw a pillar of light leading to the night sky during the fire. This was the same sight we witnessed when they attacked us with their cannons. Also the same night they nearly broke through the mist."

"B-But who are they?" Elsa asks, craning in on Honeymaren's every word.

"Sailors, Soldiers, mercenaries, dispatched from a far flung land," Honeymaren says, "all Catholic. From the crosses on their ships."

"_Catholic,_" Elsa ponders, before the realisation hits her just how staunchly Catholic her grandfather was, "oh my god, is that why King Runeard-"

"Their vendetta never ended when the mist fell upon us," Honeymaren continues, "though for once, we had the spirits to thank."

"Father never told us why Arendelle converted to Protestantism, all the while I thought it was just a pointless part of history lessons."

"It's been nearly a hundred years, but the question of _why _they'd want to destroy us, still deserts the Northuldra," Honeymaren says, shifting closer to Elsa, "perhaps a part of their fervor is hinged around eradicating all that is magical? We're a peace-seeking people who'd want nothing to do with violence and destruction."

"They're not going to stop," Elsa mutters, running a hand through her hair, "and the mist isn't around anymore."

Honeymaren takes the bowl from Elsa, and places a hand on her shoulder, "You're safe here, my people will keep you and your sister from harm."

"Thank you," Elsa whispers, placing a palm on Honeymaren's cheek, "Thank you for everything."

Honeymaren ponders the hand brushing against her skin, so warm despite everything Elsa stood for. She takes hold of the Queen's fingers, and inhales deeply. The memory of Elsa's scent and their brief past together comes back to her, and she shuts her eyes.

"I missed you," Honeymaren whispers.

The woman's words tug at Elsa's heart. She looks down into Honeymaren's eyes and sighs.

"Look," Elsa says, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, but-"

At once, Honeymaren puts a finger to Elsa's lips.

"Shh," she says, "you don't have to be, I'll always be here, and I'll always have you in my heart. You're the fifth spirit, the one who ties our people to nature."

A mischievous glint appears in Honeymaren's eyes, and Elsa recognises it instantly. Still, she doesn't react in time to stop Honeymaren from leaning in and kissing her. It's brief, and sends a rush of warmth into Elsa's cheeks.

"Also, I miss the way your lips taste," Honeymaren smirks.

The sheer bliss of being able to escape from all the conspiracies, the danger, the murder, in something as simple as a kiss proves too much for Elsa to resist. She doesn't stop Honeymaren from having another taste. Lost in the fragrance of her hair, and the touch of her hands, Elsa allows her eyes to flutter shut, and for the other woman's desire to burn into her lips with increasing passion.

Elsa slips a hand around her back, pulling her in and urging her to continue, and she does - until a gasp from the tent's entrance causes them to flinch.

"Am I...interrupting something?" Anna asks, her mouth ajar.


	6. Chapter 6

Without waiting for an answer, Anna points at Honeymaren.

"I'd like to speak to my sister alone," Anna snarls, "Please give us a moment."

Honeymaren rises to her feet and pauses at the tent's entrance. Standing next to Anna, she strikes a startling contrast to the princess despite their identical height. She locks eyes with Anna, showing neither deference nor humility, and smirks.

"What the hell is so funny?" Anna scowls.

Without an answer, Honeymaren leaves, allowing the tent cloth to flop against Anna's head on the way out. The princess shrugs off the slight and sits next to Elsa, who clasps her hands, inspecting them for any trace of the fire which nearly killed them.

"I'm so sorry," Elsa whispers, before pressing Anna's fingers to her lips, "please don't hold it against her, it was all my idea."

Anna sighs, before inhaling deeply.

"I know," Anna says, as her breath comes out in sputtered gasps, "_I know, I know, I know, I know, I know_-"

A tear trickles down Anna's cheek, and Elsa tightens her grasp around her sister's trembling hands.

"I know what it feels like," Anna continues, shutting her eyes and looking away, "to feel like you're not good enough for someone, to feel so desperately empty without that person, that you're willing to throw yourself at someone else to fill that gaping void."

Elsa stares at her sister, with her mouth ajar. A wave of guilt and hurt ripples through her being, and she ponders how much damage Anna had been putting up with the entire time.

"It's all clear to me now, why you suggested moving here," Anna whispers, trying to keep her sputtering voice under control, "and if it's because of me, I hope you'll know that you don't have to be afraid anymore."

"I don't want to hurt you," Elsa pleads.

"You can't hurt me," Anna retorts, her voice rising slightly, "You can't hurt me anymore than I have hurt you, with Hans, with Kristoff, with all the times I looked away from you."

At once, Elsa pulls the girl into her arms.

"I've never, ever held it against you," Elsa says, breathing in the scent of Anna's hair, "having you as my sister, being able to touch you and be close to you, is already more than I could ever ask for, after all these years apart."

Anna's eyes brim with tears and confusion as they part, and Elsa's heart goes cold at the sight.

"I...I want you," Anna stammers, as she cups Elsa's face with her hands, "I want you so badly it feels so stupid and wrong and I never knew how much it'd hurt until I saw you kissing someone else."

Elsa swallows, her lips tremble, and she only manages to stammer out a brief, "I'm sorry-"

"I don't know what to do with this," Anna sputters, looking down at her hands, "it feels so _sick _and _wrong, _but at the same time, nothing I ever do can rid this nagging feeling that we're meant for each other."

"Oh my god, Anna," Elsa says, unsure of exactly how to respond to her sister's revelation, which so closely mirrors her own feelings. The hurt in Anna's voice is crippling, but a voice within Elsa begs her of one thing.

_You have to stay strong for her. _

"I'm here for you," Elsa says, right as Anna begins to sob, "no matter what happens, whether I feel the same way towards you-"

"Do you love her?" Anna asks, her voice stuttering each hurt-filled syllable.

The question strikes Elsa cold in the gut. Frost forms on her fingertips as she contemplates lying to Anna.

"Not the way I love you," Elsa whispers. The cold from her hands fades away into warmth when her sister grasps them, but the hurt in Anna's eyes tells her that this answer isn't enough.

* * *

The priest stands before the line of bishops again. This time, there's a noticeable tremble in his voice when he speaks.

"We have failed again," he says, his fingers fiddling with the pommel of his sword, "but this may be an opportunity, as a terrible secret has been revealed to us."

A frown appears on the Cardinal's face, adding to the wrinkles on his forehead.

"What is it?" he asks, his voice echoing through the Cathedral.

"It's...It's the younger sister, Princess Anna," he says, "she was witnessed bearing the strength of an ox and the fortitude of a dozen men-"

"That wicked river must've passed enough of its magic into Iduna to bear her another cursed child," he comments, rubbing his brow, "now there's two of them to contend with."

"No matter," the priest replies, "we can deal with the princess."

"You couldn't fulfill your obligations to destroy the Sorceress on three occasions, how do you intend on doing it now that she has a beast as a sister who's with her nearly all the time?"

"It's easy - I have a plan, all I have to do is to keep them separated and-"

He's cut off by the Cardinal rising from his chair and reaching behind him. At once, he produces an identical vial of yellow liquid.

The priest raises an eyebrow, "Um...more Holy Fire m'lord? It might not be as effective as the first time-"

"It's not for her," the Cardinal scowls, "it's for you."

With a flick of his wrist, he tosses the vial at him. The glass shatters as it strikes his cassock, and the liquid ignites with the ferocity of the sun. A pillar of light descends upon his flaming body as he screams and thrashes around on the Cathedral floor. The Holy Fire makes short work of the Priest as it consumes his flesh in an instant, leaving a smouldering corpse kneeling before the Holy men. The moment he stops burning, the bishops descend upon the charred mess in single file. Like a watchmaker inspecting his creation, they inspect his body thoroughly.

One of them reaches in and plucks a charred bone from the ashes. He snaps it in two and shows it to the Cardinal.

"Red ashes," he says, "A good sign."

The Cardinal peers at it, before sighing.

"It's time we find a political solution to this nonsense," he exclaims, pointing a finger at the door, "summon the Army and prepare for war."


	7. Chapter 7

"...and we will await more information from the committee once they're back from the east," Elsa mutters to the ministers, barely looking up as she scribbles her signature on a stack of parchment, "after that a decision will be made and the trials can commence."

The elderly ministers; with immaculate beards and gold eyeglasses, rise to their feet, and bow to Elsa.

"Sorry, yes, you're dismissed, I'm afraid I've kept you far too long today."

Elsa turns to the final guest in her office, a civil servant who acted as her scribe for the day. His white sleeve is speckled with smudged ink.

"Do write a letter to London about their proposal, we should meet somewhere in May," Elsa says, before pondering, "although I fear you'll have to do it tomorrow, the hour is late and you must be dreadfully weary of my voice by now."

"Not at all," he says, before rising and bowing, "we're honoured to serve you."

She waits for him to leave, before leaning back in her chair and staring at the ceiling. The toil of being a Queen had drained her energy to no end, but even worse is the insurmountable task of fixing things with Anna. She hadn't spoken to her sister in days, and her heart clenched with longing every time she heard her sister's singing voice from the balcony. Her eyes fall to a black-and-white photograph of Anna on her desk; a novelty from that camera a diplomat was showing her, and she ponders seeking her sister out.

_Perhaps it's too soon. _

The moon gleams through the windowpanes, but she doesn't feel hungry at all. Still, a knock on the door causes Elsa to flinch.

"Your majesty," Gerda announces from behind the door, "your bath is ready-"

Her mind still heavy with dread, Elsa leaves her office for the first time today. She peeks around each corridor for signs of Anna, before making her way into the bowels of the castle, where the ancient aquifer carried water from the hot spring. It's a quiet place, and Elsa finds herself longing for the solitude it offered her. A still pool of steaming hot water greets Elsa, and at once her senses are saturated by the smell of mint. She inhales deeply, smiling at the fragrance, but opts to soak in the sauna's heat first.

Damp heat brushes against Elsa's face when she enters the sauna, and the room is plunged into silence as soon as she shuts the enormous oak door. It's completely, utterly silent in the sauna, save for the occasional crackle of coals. Elsa sighs in relief at the sensation, and allows her gown to melt into the steam. Her eyes adjust to the darkness, and she peers into the foggy mist.

Elsa's heart skips a beat when she spots a shadow moving about in the darkness. Her skin prickles with fear at the thought of being naked in the presence of someone else, but she relaxes for a second when she recognises Anna getting up and stepping before the glowing coals.

"Y-you're here," Elsa gasps, folding her arms across her breasts. Anna's naked body gleamed with sweat. Elsa's eyes roam up and down the girl's naked body, along the unbroken smattering of freckles which extended from her neck and splayed out across her chest. The sight ties Elsa's stomach into knots.

"I think there's a mistake," Anna whispers, "the doctor had a look at my hands and told the servants to draw a bath. Gerda must've told them the same thing for you."

Elsa's lips part as her gaze travels down Anna's impossibly thin waist, and along the curve of her hips. She's seen her sister naked countless times, but this is..._different. _

"I'm done here," Anna says, "I'll leave you alone."

The bump of Anna's arm brushing against Elsa snaps her out of her daze. She finds herself reaching for Anna's elbow before she can open the door.

"No, wait, Anna, please," Elsa pleads, her voice breaking with longing, "we haven't spoken in days-"

"Isn't that better?" Anna mutters, as her gaze travels down the curve of Elsa's figure, before looking away, "I mean, I assumed you didn't want anything to do with me."

A wave of anguish sweeps through Elsa.

"No, god, no," Elsa gasps, raking a hand through her hair so hard that her braid unravels, "after all that we've been through, why would you say that?"

Anna looks at the wooden floor. She blinks once, and sweat drips from her chin.

"I'm jealous," she admits.

The admission takes Elsa aback, but then again, she'd always knew her sister to be someone brutally honest with her feelings. This silent brooding behaviour Anna had carried out over the past few days was entirely new to her, and Elsa didn't know how to handle it.

"It's stupid, and silly, and at the same time there's this yucky feeling churning deep in my belly of knowing she's had you," Anna says, avoiding Elsa's gaze, "and I haven't."

"But you do!" Elsa argues. Her chest begins to swell with uncertainty and a premonition that she's heading down the path of no return.

Elsa continues, "You've always had me, right from the moment they let me out of that god awful room, even after I fled to the mountains, I've never once forgotten you."

Anna shakes her head, "Not like that,"

Elsa's hands begin to tremble. She's completely forgotten about the sauna's heat by now, and her perspiration has begun trickling down her ankles. The tension between them is palpable, and when Anna takes a step towards her sister, it teeters on a breaking point.

"I know you want me," Anna whispers, looking up into her sister's eyes, "I've seen the way you look at me, the way you breathe in the scent of my hair when I sleep."

Elsa stares at the girl with her mouth ajar. The trembling in her chest intensifies. Anna grabs her sister's hands, and places them against her chest.

"Can you feel this?" Anna asks, her heart thumping against Elsa's fingers, "this is what I've to put up with. _Everyday_. Everytime I'm near you. You make my heart race."

Scarlet blossoms through Elsa's cheeks as her breath begins to quicken. She allows her touch to linger on Anna's skin.

"Tell me you feel the same way," Anna begs, squeezing her fingers, "tell me, please."

"I...I don't know," Elsa whispers. She looks away, only for Anna to tip her chin back. The princess steps forward, and Elsa stumbles from the intensity of her advance.

"Please Elsa, I can't live like this anymore," Anna pleads, the desperation rising in her voice.

Elsa contemplates lying to her sister, but the hurt in Anna's eyes, and the prospect of further estrangement from her, forces her to reconsider.

"I...I do," Elsa stutters, and at once a burden is lifted from her shoulders.

"Why...why didn't you tell me?" Anna asks.

"I didn't want you to think I'm some sort of freak," Elsa admits, as she sighs in relief, "and I didn't want to lose everything we've built together after coming back."

"No," Anna whispers, cupping her Elsa's face in her hands, "no, no, no-"

Without another word, Anna stands on the tips of her toes, and kisses Elsa. It's brief, but for that fleeting second, everything in Elsa's world falls into place - the guilt, the confusion, the desire. She looks at Anna's eyes swimming back into her vision; the taste of her sister's sweat still on her lips.

A smile spreads across Anna's face.

"Y-you have no idea...how long...how desperately, I've been waiting for this moment."

Heat rushes through Elsa's face. She feels faint, and her knees buckle.

"S-sorry, Anna," Elsa slurs, putting a palm on her forehead, "I think I'm not used to this heat-"

She brushes past Anna, the Sauna's door, and conjures an ice bath, before diving into the pool. The wave of cold refreshes her, and she turns around to see Anna leaping after her.

"Wait, it's too cold!" Elsa cries, as the girl splashes into the pool, only for Anna to emerge from the surface, and circle her arms around Elsa's neck. Anna smiles, and bites on her lip.

"You are, without a doubt," she whispers, "the most beautiful person I've ever known."

Elsa brushes a lock of wet hair from Anna's face.

"And you're the most beautiful thing ever to have happened to me."

This time, as Anna leans in, the Queen dares to kiss her sister back - shedding the fear which had plagued her, or the guilt which haunted her thoughts. Her entire being vibrates with desire as Anna presses further and further into the kiss, and Elsa finds her hands travelling to Anna's hips. She pulls the girl closer to her, and a throaty groan emanates from the pit of her stomach. Still, a nagging thought forces Elsa to break off the kiss.

"What about the future?" Elsa asks, pressing a palm to Anna's cheek, "What about Kristoff, and the Kingdom, and everything else?"

"You're always thinking ahead, aren't you?" Anna smirks, "I guess that's what older sisters are for-"

"I only want you to be happy," Elsa laments, before she notices Anna's lips shivering, "for now, you should probably get out of the water before you catch a cold."

She extends a hand to help Anna out of the pool, and passes her a towel to dry off. This time, Elsa doesn't cover herself as Anna's gaze roams across her naked body.

"You're staring," Elsa smirks, putting a hand on her hip, "nothing you've never seen before."

"I don't think I could ever get used to it."

A knock on the door rouses them.

"_Your Majesty!" _Kai's muffled voice resounds from behind the bath's entrance.

"Always needed, aren't you?" Anna sighs.

"Be a good girl," Elsa says, as an ice gown materialises upon her body, "I'll send for you later."

* * *

Elsa strides into the meeting room. She's never been in here at night, and with the room lit merely by candlelight, the darkness emits a foreboding aura. Still, she recognises a General and an Admiral of Arendelle, already waiting for her. Their presence takes her by surprise.

"I assume that something's happened if you're already here at this hour," Elsa asks.

"Yes, there's a problem," Mattias says, "we don't know if it's related to the recent plot, or not-"

The General looks at the Admiral, before turning to Elsa.

"Spain has just invaded Denmark, and they've sent an urgent request for us to help defend them."


End file.
